In this second, and last, part of Alpesh's interview, he talks about his career journey. The travel venture that he had started after coming back from London fell apart within a few months. He got a job with Reliance Brands Limited, in retail. However, a chance sighting of a Decathlon store in Thane led to a 7 and a half year long career with them.
In this video, Alpesh talks about how he just randomly saw the facade of Decathlon and decided to enter. In that store, he met someone who forwarded Alpesh's CV to the right people, ultimately landing him a job with Decathlon. Sports being his passion, Alpesh was very content to find himself in Sports Retail, where he already had a good amount of experience. He started off by working on the shop floor, in the training and fitness department. He talks of his time there, and how it prepared him for what the future in sports retail had to offer.
From there, he climbed up the ladder, being involved with the launch of a store in Baroda. As time passed, he went onto a strategy role and handled the sourcing and distribution. He gives anecdotes from his time with Decathlon, including insights into how one sources products, how merchandising works, how these products are positioned and marketed, and much more. He talks about the sport he handles, which is Trekking, and how he goes about sourcing and marketing equipment for the same. Lastly, he talks about his passion for sports, and how you can build a career in sports without being a sportsman. Playing sports isn't the only way to build a career. If you're interested in sports, adventure, or retail, this video is certainly for you.
This is Part 2 of Alpesh's full interview. Click here to watch Part 1
What's This? This is a new series of talks that we are doing amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the lockdowns and the curfews, we are making all the efforts to ensure that you keep getting insightful and relevant content. So sit back and make the most of your social distancing with this episode of ‘Konversations in Quarantine'!
Key Takeaways:
1) Wherever you choose to work, make sure you learn something valuable. It doesn't matter how small the learning is, it will add to your profile and help you grow.
2) No matter which retail brand you aspire for, you need to face the customer and have shop floor experience.
3) A lot of the backend decisions taken in retail come from experience from the front end, which is the shopfloor.
4) What's important isn't where you've decided to start today. What's important is where this decision will lead you in the future.
5) Be open to making mistakes. They are learning opportunities. Also, don't beat yourself up over your mistakes.
6) A career in sports does not always mean that you have to be a sportsperson. Career opportunities in sports can mean retail, management, and so much more.
7) Not everyone achieves the goals they set out to achieve in college. Don't be disheartened if your career journey takes sharp and unexpected turns.
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